VP Kashim Shettima
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has shed light on the reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on agriculture.
Speaking at the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Shettima emphasized the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s food system and restore national food sovereignty.
Shettima stressed that any nation that is not independent in food sovereignty is not truly sovereign.
When President Tinubu took office, he inherited a nation in a precarious state, prompting him to declare a food emergency due to genuine concern for the welfare of Nigerians, particularly in conflict-prone areas like the North-East where Boko Haram is active.
The government has introduced bold policy guidelines to strengthen the food system, including: Presidential Food System Coordinating Units and Food Support Mechanism.
Shettima highlighted the importance of empowering smallholder farmers, women, and youths through incentives.
The government is reinforcing extension services to provide farmers with up-to-date data on rainfall patterns, enabling them to manage climate shocks effectively.
Shettima praised the World Food Programme and other multilateral agencies for their support.
He emphasized the need for genuine partnerships, inclusion, and coordination to impact people’s lives.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, urged leaders to adopt long-term solutions to build resilient food systems, citing the alarming statistic that over 37 million children under five face acute malnutrition globally.
She emphasized the need to choose transformation over dependency and embed resilience into national strategies.
